Close to Your Heart
by Angelics-d
Summary: The war has ended, peace returns once more. It has been half a year after their last battle when someone confessed to the ultimate Coordinator [ShonenAiYaoi]Finally got a title XD
1. Chapter 1: The Confession

**Close to Your Heart**

**By Angelics-d

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**

My very first Gundam Seed/Gundam Seed Destinyfic.(at last!)

Disclaimer: The characters from Gundam Seed/Gundam Seed Destiny are not mine. If it is.. The ending of Gundam Seed would be Kira and Athrun's marriage! XP :slap:

Pairings? Read this fic to know it :laugh:ran away before anyone throws things:

Summary: The war has ended, peace returns once more. It has been half a year after their last battle when someone confessed to the ultimate Coordinator.

Warnings: OOC-ness (hopefully slight, not sure though..:sweatdrop:), Shonen-ai (at least:grin:), bad grammar (english is not my mother language :sigh: )

Okay, shonen-ai is boy-love-boy things, so if you don't like it, you'd better not read this fic :smile sweetly: Because it's a waste of time if you protesting something that had been warned, isn't it?

AN: I finally got a title for this one, for the reasons, you got it on chapter 4. Anyway, if any of you got a comment, please leave a review. Or maybe you want to critisized this fic? Don't hesitate to click the review button also, because I'll be happy to take them all. It would help me to improve won't it :smile:

Okay, to the fic then. Happy Reading!

'blahblah'-- thoughts

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**.:Chapter 1 - The Confession:.**

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"_Wh-what did you say just now?"_

"_I love you."_

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The brunette dug his face into the pillow, remembering what happened the day before. Oh, yes, our Kira Yamato is depressed and hadn't left his bed since yesterday afternoon, causing worries to his friends and family-especially his only sister. Kira closed his eyes, replaying the scene when he took a walk downtown..

---Flashback---

"Kira-san!" A cheerful chirping voice called the brunette. A black-haired teen who waved enthuastically caught the attention of his amethyst eyes. "Haven't seen you around so much!" Shinn Asuka said as he stopped in front of the older teen, panting slightly.

Kira smiled gently before he replied, "Well, got works to do."

After the so called war, Shinn had decided to stayed at ORB, helping to run the orphanage Kira and Lacus once used to take care, maybe it's the way he would like to pay back of what he had done in the past. Lacus and Cagalli had their hands full of political things to deal with. Kira himself, who decided to be the blonde's bodyguard, tried his best to help the ORB leader after he was sure Shinn could take over his job at the orphanage. Well, Mwu and Murrue, who're now husband and wife, were also helping them running the orphanage even though they live in their own house, so it didn't worry him much.

And Athrun.. The brunette shook his head at the thought of his best friend, making a pair of ruby eyes look at him in confusion. After saying it's alright, both teens walked side by side and had some random chat, from daily things to political ones. It's been months since they last met anyway.

"Where's Tori?" Shinn glanced around, trying to get a view of the green robotic bird. Kira laughed lightly as he saw the innocent face of his friend. Shinn definitely looks like a little kid now.

"I left him with Cagalli. She needs a friend to accompany her."

"So you're on your day off?" The brunette nodded. His amethyst eyes glowed in confusion when he saw the other teen's grin, but he didn't mind it.

"How's things with Lunamaria?" Kira asked the younger ex-pilot, who sighed a bit.

"We already broke up last week." The raven head shrugged a bit, hands behind his head. He and Lunamaria had been dating even before Shinn decided to stay at ORB. Eventually, they found out that their relationship was not going that well. "And she went back to PLANT last weekend." Shinn added.

"Oh, sorry to hear that.."

Shinn couldn't help to laugh when he saw the brunette apologized with a troubled-look on his face. "Don't worry about that Kira-san. I can go over it." Once again Kira smiled at him. And there's this comfortable silence until they reached the park.

"Want to take a bite?" The younger teen asked, pointing a crepe stall with his thumb. "It was pretty good you know."

"It won't hurt to try."

"Okay, just wait a minute!" Shinn rushed to the stall then, a hint of pink was on his cheek. Hey, wait a minute. Pink? On his cheek? Amethyst blinked few times as he look at the raven haired boy, who was ordering cheerfully. It didn't took long before the said boy came back with two crepes in his hands.

They enjoyed it with some chat in light subjects before Shinn hit a certain topic they hadn't talked about since they met.

"Have heard things about Athrun?" The brunette froze for a minute before he shook his head, making the other teen sighed. "That man is really something.." he mumbled and take another bite of his snack.

Athrun Zala had left to PLANT once again, tending to help things there. But the problem is, he never gave them any news about his well being, which concerned Kira a lot. Feeling the uneasiness from the older teen, Shinn patted Kira's shoulder. It was the thing the older boy found reassuring. But his mouth was a different thing..

"Why can't you just leave him be?"

"What?" Kira asked with a frown while the other boy munch the last piece of his crepe.

"He doesn't even give a damn to call or sent us emails." Shinn licked his fingers which got some syrup on it. "Why are you still waiting for him?"

Kira stayed silent for a moment before he replied, "Because, I'd like to.." Ruby eyes found themselves looking at the brunette frame. "I do believe he'll come back."

"Really?" The older ex-pilot turned his head to see the younger one's face. "But then why do you look like this?" he asked, making Kira frowned deeper. "Why do you look so desperate? So sad?" The brunette hang his head down, let his bangs covered his eyes. The black haired boy bit his lower lip at the image.

"I don't like to see you like this. I'd like you to be happy, Kira-san."

"Thank you, Shinn. But I'm okay."

"How can you be okay…?" Shinn pulled the older boy's shoulder, making them looking face to face. "..with those look on your eyes, you're not okay, Kira-san.."

Kira shook his head, avoiding eye contact with those piercing ruby eyes. "No, Shinn.. stop it."

"I won't." The younger boy countered with a hard tone. He's actually famous with his stubbornness, Kira knew it. Once the former Minerva cru set his mind, he won't change it easily. So, instead continuing the stupid argument-in Kira's opinion- the brunette decided to shut his mouth until Shinn satisfied with his babbling. But what came from the younger boy's mouth even shocking him.

"I love you Kira-san.." The amethyst blinked…. Blinked again.. and again. The ultimate coordinator needed a few seconds to get that clicked into his mind.

"Wh-what did you say just now?" He asked, but failed to hide his shock. He'd like to think he heard it wrong.

"I love you."

Kira froze at those words. He never expected Shinn to love him, even in his dreams. He opened and closed his mouth, couldn't find the exact words to react to those staring ruby.

"I really love you, Kira-san. And it's heartbreaking to see you like this." The raven-haired boy said because the brunette didn't say anything. "I'd like to see your eyes filled with warmth again.."

"Shinn, since when did you know.. that you love me?" Finally his words found its' way through his mouth.

"About one month when I fully realized it. But maybe two or three months because I fell for you before I realized it.." When the ruby-eyed boy saw the older teen widened his eyes, he continued, "Yeah, that's before I broke up with Luna. We already talked about it for weeks. That's when she also realized that she didn't really love me. When I said that I love you, she didn't mind, even she said she'll support us. I'm kind of glad for that actually."

Now Kira really found himself in loss for words. He brought his hand to rub his now aching temple. He had never had such a headache since.. maybe since the war ended.

Shinn put his hand on the brunette's cheek, making their eyes met. When the raven head leaned forward, Kira automatically turned his head away. His heart still couldn't accept it yet, and the younger boy knew that so he sighed.

"Well, I.. I'll be waiting then, Kira-san." Kira's amethyst eyes cast their gaze to the raven haired boy, who was smiling bitterly. That smile didn't last long as he started to say, "But I didn't lie. I truly love you and I'll protect you at any cost."

Then the younger teen stood up stretching his body. "Well, I gotta go back to the orphanage now. Today's pretty fun, Kira-san. I'll see you again, hopefully pretty soon." With a grin on his face, Shinn waved and made his way home, leaving the stunning Kira with his half finished crepe in his hand.

---End of Flashback---

Kira sighed. 'Athrun, I wish you're here..' But the brunette didn't even know how to contact his blue-haired friend. So he decided to sank his head into the pillow and sleep, didn't realized a pair of amber watching his form.

Slowly Cagalli closed the door to his brother room without a sound, not wanting him to realized her presence. She quickly made her way to where her-actually her brother's- visitors were waiting.

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"You told him?" A hint of disbelief was clear in the brunette's voice. Shinn just nod at her without taking away his gaze from his cup-which seems so interesting for his ruby eyes. Miriallia sighed in defeat. She came here to asked if the raven head knew something about her friend's strange behavior. She didn't expected to get this news and the boy in front of him was as stone-head as ever.

"I can't stand it." Finally came a reply from the said teen. "He looks so.. so unhappy."

"And exhausted." The freelance photographer added. "He has been working to his fullest for Cagalli-sama. But I had never seen him so furious like this you, know?"

Shinn automatically clutched his cup tighter. "I want to protect him. Is that wrong?" The boy protested, glaring at Miriallia, who sipped her coffee casually.

"I don't think it is.." The black haired teen smirked in satisfaction, but he pouted again as sapphire-eyed girl continued "..but you know who he gave his heart to, don't you?"

"Yeah." Shinn replied shortly and gulped his own coffee. "But! If _that person_ is not being by his side, more over, making him worried like that, it's nonsense!" The ex-Archangel cru slapped her hand lightly on her forehead, this boy was too much for her to handle. "Whatever you said, I'll be by his side until _that man_ made up his mind for sure!" Just how she wished Lacus would be here to handle this stubborn ex-gundam pilot.

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"Are you sure you okay?" Cagalli asked his brother, who nodded at her. Tori stood at her shoulder, tilted it's head as it looks at it's master.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Sorry to worry you, Cagalli." Kira said with a forced smile. But the frown on his sister's face interpreted that she didn't think so.

"I think you'd better get another day off." The brunette opened his mouth to protest, but the ORB leader put her finger on his lips. "You look depressed. You should take a day off and relaxed." His robotic friend also began to chirped. "Look, Tori might also think so." His sister added. Kira couldn't find a word to argue her, so he just nodded.

Honestly, he felt his head was about to explode. The brunette decided to went to the beach after he changed his clothes to his usual black suit. He just loved to feel the breeze and the salty scent. It's somewhat relaxing.

'Athrun.. where are you now?' He asked himself mentally as he stood there, facing the endless sea. 'Why didn't you give us any news..?' He indeed worried sick about his best friend. The blue-haired man always concern Kira a lot. For him not giving any new, there must be some reasons. Or at least that's what the brunette thought to calm himself. He blinked his amethyst eyes as his vision slowly went blur.

Not far away, Mwu and Murrue, who were on their way to the orphanage after shopping, saw the dark suit figure standing there. "Isn't that Kira-kun?" Murrue asked his husband, who perked up and narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, it is. Kira!" The blond man called the former Freedom pilot. But the figure stayed still, making the couple quirked an eyebrow. "What's the matter with him?"

Before they got time to wonder more, the teen fell forward and hit the sands. The adults gasped in surprised and quickly approached the brunette.

"KIRA!"

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"Why don't you just go back already?"

"I'm not ready yet.."

"Even though I said that your dearly beloved one was hit by a certain man?"

"It can't be hel…..WHAAT!" It took just a few seconds before a flash of red darted out of the room. The blond just sighed as he saw his friend's antic. A platinum-haired teen, who that red flash passed by, stunned near the blond.

"What the hell is happening?"

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The brunette opened his eyes to find himself laying on a queen-sized bed. The room looks familiar to him, yet his mind couldn't recognized it. Kira ran a hand to his forehead, feeling a terrible headache hovering his mind. A sound of door being opened caught his attention.

"Already awake, Kira-san? How do you feel?" Amethyst turned to see a pair of ruby look at him with concern. The raven head was bringing a tray with a bowl of porridge and a glass of water.

"Where.. am I..?" Kira asked him weakly. His voice was hoarse. That's when he recognized that his clothes was changed to a plain white shirt and a pair of black trousers. After setting the tray on the side table, Shinn helped the older teen to sat up and offer him a glass of water.

"The orphanage." The ex-ZAFT replied when the brunette took a sip of water. "You fainted at the beach. Luckily Mwu-san spotted you and hurriedly brought you here.."

A weak "Mm.." was his answer, making Shinn frown in worry. Especially because the older teen was also suffering a fever. "You should eat before you sleep again. Even a little will do." When Kira turned down the offer, the other boy plead him with his rock-like-stubbornness. And to the others-who was listening outside the room- expectation, Shinn won the argument. Kira let the ruby-eyed boy to help him to eat then because the said boy was persuading to do so, saying that the brunette's body was too weak and might spill his food.

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Cagalli grumbled as she picked up the ringing phone. She already got pretty stressful with her job, added with her only brother's behavior that keeps nagging her mind, and now the rings made her headache worse. Tori jumped a few steps away from the phone when it saw Cagalli's hand hovering at the noisy thing.

But then it all went poof when a familiar voice greeted him at the other side of the line. "Murrue-san? Long time no see." She greeted the ex-commander warmly. "What's make you call? Eh? Kira? How's he?" The blonde couldn't hide her worries, but a few moments later she slumped into her chair, relaxed. "Oh, that's good. Okay, just let him rest there. He won't be able to relaxed here anyway. Okay, please take care of him. Yeah, I know.. Thanks."

The moment she hang up the phone, the door to his room slammed open, revealing a panting man in black jacket. It made Cagalli almost jumped out of her skin, but then her eyes widened when she realized who was standing there. Tori, which flew outside when the slam happened-I think it's just as surprised as Cagalli-, got back and landed on the princess' chair bar, chirping softly.

"Whe.. re.. is.. he..?" The man asked her between his gasps before she could say a word. But the cut words was not clear, making the blonde quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

"What?"

"Where's Kira?" The man asked again as he managed to steadied his breath.

"He's in the orphanage right now. By the way….." And there the man dashed in the speed of light through the hallway before the ORB princess could continue her speech. "Can't you just wait a second to answer my question?" She mumbled irritatedly, of course, she got no answer beside the chirping sound of the robotic bird since the said man already got in his car and drove to the orphanage. Hopefully he won't get an accident or a problem with policemen since he drove his car in a high speed, very high speed to be precise.

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A/N: I made this chapter in just two days :jumping around: Well, it suddenly popped out of nowhere in my head so I quickly typed it before it's gone XD 

Go go stubborn Shinn! I just love to see him that stubborn XD

I haven't decided who Kira would end up with.. With Shinn? With that mysterious man?(Bet you know who he is:grin:) Or maybe a threesome? XD :ran before anyone start to throw things at me:

Anyway, just leave your thoughts at the review. Thankies for reading :waves:

Angelics-d


	2. Chapter 2: A Return, A Challenge

**Close to Your Heart**

**By Angelics-d**

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Disclaimer: Kira can't be mine.. :Sob: neither Athrun.. nor Shinn :sobsob: So every chara's here are not mine... I simply use them for my satisfaction XP :whacked:

Pairings: ShinnxKira, AthrunxKira

Summary: The war has ended, peace returns once more. It has been half a year after their last battle when someone confessed to the ultimate Coordinator. But then, there's someone who had been longing for his love too.

Warnings: OOC-ness (hopefully slight, not sure though..:sweatdrop:), Shonen-ai (at least:grin:), bad grammar (English is not my mother language :sigh: ) Bad language(Oh yes, it's needed for a yell by a certain character here.)

Okay, shonen-ai is boy-love-boy things, so if you don't like it, you'd better not read this fic :smile sweetly:

A/N: I forgot Tori at the previous chapter… :slam my own head to the wall nearby: I already edited chapter 1, just to add why Tori was not with Kira and what it's doing(mostly just for my fun XP )

I still can't believe I finished this chapter in a day… :stare at the infinite blue sky: Maybe I'm in the mood for Gundam Seed/Gundam Seed Destiny thing :smile unreasonably:

I'd like to reply the reviews by myself though, but.. the reply button doesn't work at tne moment :sweatdrop:

**Reviews respond:**

**Dreamer516**: I also love AthrunxKira XD But AthrunxShinn or KiraxShinn also cute X3 :thinking: Up until now I only found one fic about the 3 of them being together. Oh, I'm just being greedy :sweatdrop:

**SweetYzak**: okay, thank you! I think I'll use amber for her eyes from now on

**furin-a**: Hm.. yeah, amber definitely sounds better. Hm.. for the pair.. just see as the chapters goes on XD Why he hasn't called? I'll let you know in the next chapter. You'll got half his reason here XD

**Darkmoon Fleur**: Thank you! Yes, I'll make them. It's just so fun making a jealous character :laughs: The real reason Athrun hasn't called will be revealed in the next chapter-hopefully, not sure.. :sweatdrop:

**lilplayer**: Thanks, well, the 'mystery man' identity will be known in this chapter :grin: Erm.. I'm not pretty sure though, but if there is AthrunxShinn, maybe it will be angst or even super angst?-but in my hand they can became hilarious XP - Those 2 characters just so serious and love to argue :sweatdrop:

Thanks for the reviews guys XD

'kay then! Here's the next chapter. Happy Reading!

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**.:Chapter 2: A Return, A Challenge :.**

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"_I love him."_

"_What?"_

"_I love him and I'm not letting him go."_

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The blonde was about to leave her office room when her phone started to ring once again, making her almost tripped at the process. Tori, which was sitting on her shoulder quickly fly when she did so. As the ORB princess connect the line, there's a picture of pink haired girl waving at the monitor, a pink ball shaped robot jumping by her side.

"Long time no see, Cagalli."

Amber eyes rolled as she replied, "I thought we were talking like this just 3 days ago." Her words casting a giggle from the songstress. "So, what makes you call today, Lacus? Hopefully not bad news." The green robotic bird landed in front of it's master's sister. It's eyes watching Cagalli's finger intently as the blonde moving it, having fun teasing the robot.

"Oh. No, it's not bad news." Haro jumped onto the PLANT representative hands as she continued. "I just want to inform you that _he_ already went to Earth. His destination might be ORB."

Cagalli quirked an eyebrow, her mouth was shaping an upside down 'u'. She understand who was the _he_ her friend was talking about. "He already got here, said 2 sentence-2 questions actually- before he went off again."

The pink haired girl frown in confusion at the blonde. "I bet he was searching for Kira."

"Exactly." And Lacus started to giggle again before the princesses start their own chat.

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Shinn gently brushed away the brown locks that covered the brunette's face. His sleeping form calmed the younger boy as his ruby eyes inspecting the Ultimate Coordinator.

"Kira-san.." The raven haired boy whispered as he caressed the older boy's cheek affectionately. Honestly, he might already fell for him at their first meeting. That time, they were no more than a stranger to each other.

The younger ex-pilot frown darkly as he remembered how much he hated the Freedom and it's pilot- now ex-pilot - without knowing him personally. He even was about to kill the brunette. And now, he was falling for him so badly, how ironic.

"Get better soon." Shinn kissed Kira's forehead softly. He pulled the blanket so it covered the brunette properly before he left the room in silence, leaving the sick teen to rest peacefully.

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The ringing cell phone almost distracted the blue haired teen as he drive. He quickly picked it up, but the loud yell almost made him crashed into a wall. He's lucky enough he didn't, even with such a speed. Oh, such a miracle..

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT YOU IDIOT! LEAVING LIKE THAT, HUH?" The driver sighed, an image of his platinum haired friend with scary annoyed face came into his mind.

"Yzak, I already told you.."

"No, you didn't tell me anything." His tone was as hard as a rock. It's plain that he's angry.

"So maybe I told someone to tell you." He's not pretty sure though. He was leaving his friends in a big hurry.

"You didn.. hold on a second." The emerald eyed teen almost certain he heard a loud "What!" Whoever the person who was poking the angry platinum head, he pity him. There was another babbling voice before his friend came back to talk to him. "Oh, yes you told someone." Yzak said sarcastically. The blue head would rolled his eyes if he was not driving. "And now what should I do with the works you should be handling you dumb ass?"

"Sorry, but please handle it for me." As a certain building came into his vision, he continued "Gotta go. I'll call you later." And he cut the line-even though the platinum head was casting yells at him again- and slipped his cell phone into his pocket, not forgetting to turn it off.

"Kira…" The man whispered in a worry tone.

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Murrue Ramius could only gasped "Oh, my.." as she saw a car parked in front of the orphanage. The kids who were playing with her also turned their heads around. They all beamed and circled the black jacketed teen who got out of the car.

"Okay, kids, please let me through. I need to ensure something. I'll play with you all later 'kay?" The blue head plead them. The children seemed to be understanding enough because they let him through.

"He is at the second floor." The former Archangel Commander informed him, who nodded gratefully before darting into the two story building. He's pretty patient now because he spare his time to greet Mwu and Andrew as he passed them. But as he was about to step on the first stair, a mop hit the wall near him -about an inch from his face maybe?- horizontally, blocking his way. Emeralds turned their gaze to see a pair of ruby narrowed at him.

"Well, if it isn't Athrun Zala." Shinn said, annoyance plain in his voice. "What makes you come here, Athrun?"

"I come to see Kira." The blue head replied honestly. Athrun bent down a little, trying to get passed the mop in his need to see the brunette but Shinn lowered it as the older teen did. There's no way he'll let this cold bastard-in Shinn's opinion- passed anyway.

"He's sleeping." The raven haired boy said to his former team leader as the emeralds glared at him. "He got a fever and he needs some rest." He added, making the other teen frown in worry.

"I'll just take a look at him. I won't wake him up."

Finally, after a few moments of silence, Shinn lowered his mop, abandoning it beside the stairs. "This way." The younger ex-pilot lead the way. Athrun gladly followed him without anymore questions.

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The blue head sighed in relieved as he saw his Angel sleeping peacefully. Kira's chest slowly moving up and down. He was not even disturbed when Athrun sat quietly beside his body, showing that he's in a deep slumber. The youngest teen watched them carefully, his own body leaning at the door frame while his hands crossing in front of his chest. 'Why is he back now?' he asked silently, eyes not leaving the two form in the room. 'After letting Kira-san down all these months.. What does he want?'

After ensuring himself that his childhood friend was okay, Athrun silently slipped out of the room, leaving his best friend to continue his sleep. The raven haired boy closed the door with no sound. Then the two of them made their way downstairs.

"Tea or coffee?" Shinn asked as he began to inspecting the kitchen, looking for cups.

"Coffee." Yes, what Athrun needs now is caffeine to made his poor emerald eyes stay awake due to tiredness. After he heard Dearka said that someone was hitting at his dear childhood friend -even though he didn't knew whether the news is right or where the blond got the information from- the former FAITH member didn't think twice to take the earliest flight to Earth he could get, precisely to ORB. The blue haired teen just couldn't help it. Anything that relates to a teen named Kira Yamato made him act reckless, especially after he was about to lose the brunette to death, and moreover it didn't only happen once.

The rubies eyeing him while the owner start to making instant drinks. The black haired teen still couldn't accept the appearance of the former Justice pilot. He still not taking his eyes away when he placed the cups on the table. Shinn pulled a chair to sit across the blue head.

"Is there any special occasion that made you here at ORB?" Shinn finally asked when his curiosity won. He'd like to know whether the man in front of him is really a cold hearted bastard.

"Err.. no. Actually no."

"So? Why are you here?"

"I just want to see him." Shinn frown. 'Out of the blue?'

"Why are you not giving us any news when you're at PLANT?"

"I.. I was busy, Shinn." The ruby eyed teen quirked an eyebrow. 'Okay, he's not telling the truth', the raven head decided.

"Are you that busy?"

"Yeah, works chasing." Athrun slowly drank his coffee, try to calm himself. 'What's with this questions?'

"Hmm.. well, works. That's more important that telling your friends here how you were, huh? With those much works, you must be pretty famous then."

"Not really.."

"What were you doing there?"

"I help the programming in ZAFT."

"ZAFT? You enrolled in the military again?"

"No, it's not that." The blue head waved lightly at the younger teen. "I was helping the programs only. Such as the connection link on the ship. Mostly I'm helping Lacus in political things."

"If you're with Lacus-san, you could actually pass your message through Cagalli-san. Why you didn't do so?"

'Shinn actually got a really sharp sense..' The emerald eyed teen thought as he eyeing the raven head in front of him, thinking of an excuse that's not fully lying. "I never be there when they do discussion. I simply there when she was doing the documents." Before the young teen in front of him opened his mouth again, he decided to should ask.. "I got the feeling you're interrogating me?"

'Good that you finally recognized it. That means your sense is not that dull after all' Shinn muttered under his breath. The crimson rubies gazed lazily at the frowning man. "You could say so."

"Huh?" Now Athrun is really confused. 'What information does actually Shinn want from him?'

"I would like to know what are you exactly planning by making us curious considering your whereabouts."

"And why's that?"

"For Kira-san." Athrun deepen his frown but instead of asking, he thought of something else.

"You're a good friend, aren't you Shinn." The emerald eyed man took a sip from his cup. "Is that because.." The blue head was planning to say something else, which is supposed to be a praise for the younger teen, but his sentence was cut by an unexpected fact.

"I love him." Athrun nearly choked and spilled all of his coffee on to his lap, but then he was coughing hard instead.

"What?" The blue haired teen asked the raven haired one in disbelief. He's certain the _he_ Shinn was referring to is the person who he was also thinking about.

"I love him and I'm not letting him go." Shinn said in a hard tone. His ruby eyes glared at the widened emerald ones. "Especially not to a person who left so suddenly, disappeared without a word all these months, breaking his heart, making him down and then suddenly showing himself out of nowhere." That really hit right through him.

"Your mouth is as sharp as ever, isn't it Shinn?"

"I'll take it as a compliment, thank you." The black haired teen sipped his tea. Athrun couldn't help to quirked an eyebrow at his former subordinate. They couldn't continue their conversation as the kids bursted into the room.

"Alex! You said you'll play with us!"

"Yeah, you said so!"

"Hey, isn't his name Athrun?"

"Whichever is fine. More importantly lets play!" The former Justice pilot only smiled awkwardly before he put down his cup and herd the kids out of the room. With this much crowd, even Kira who sleep at the second floor could be awakened.

"I'm serious with what I said just now." The emeralds turned at the younger teen's form, who was picking up their cups and placed them in the basin. "Oh, I gotta do the cleaning." With that he passed the crowds, picking up the abandoned mop and disappeared to the backroom while the blue haired teen was pulled by the kids out of the building.

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"Shit." Athrun cursed under his breath as his hand swam into his pocket, searching for his cell phone. He forgot to call the platinum head. The blue head quickly excused himself from the kids, asking them to wait for a moment. "Yzak is so gonna kill me.." he mumbled as he hit the buttons, then waited the other line to be picked. Just as he thought, what greeted him first was the familiar yell that was going into his ears if he didn't know his former team mate any better.

"Sorry, Yzak. There's things to take care of here." He finally reply when his former ZAFT friend stopped his shoutings and was panting as the result of his train of yells.

"Oh yeah? Just how important is that?"

"As important as my life." The other line sighed at the answer.

"So, when are you going back? Works won't be waiting for you, you know?" His emerald eyes trailed at the clouds on the sky that already turned orange. There's a few "Hello?", "Athrun..?" and "Are you there bastard?" before the blue head finally reply.

"I don't think I'm going back any soon.. Or I might not go back there anymore." Not with his Kira for the cost.

* * *

Ohoho, yeah! Yzak is yelling and cursing. XD I think his high pitched angry yell is his trademark. :laugh: Oh, no offense for Yzak lovers. Honestly I love him too (too many bishies to be loved isn't it?) and it's pretty fun writing about him like that :laugh again:

And about Shinn with a mop.. I just can't get that image out of my mind so I put it there :grin: I think that's what happened when someone read too much 'Café Kichijouji de' :shrug:

Shinn is pretty annoying here, isn't he? Well.. he's just an over-protective person for his beloved ones. That's the impression about him I got when I saw the anime. And I found that attitude was pretty cute combined with his stubbornness. XD

And last, don't hesitate to leave your thoughts by hitting the review button, I'll take them whatever and however it is! We could learn when someone pointed out things for us, right?

Thanks for reading, anyway :smile and bow:

Angelics-d


	3. Chapter 3: The Beginning of Competition

**Close to Your Heart**

**By Angelics-d**

* * *

Disclaimer: I want Kira, but he is Athrun's or Shinn's..and those two don't want to share Kira so they don't want to be mine.. I want Lacus..but she's everyone's idol. I want Cagalli, but she's ORB's.. Dearka and Yzak should be each others, I do think they look cute together that's why I won't bother them. And I would never ever wanted Yuuna nor Meer because they annoyed me like Hell. At the end no one's mine.. :sweatdrop: (do any of you laugh at this disclaimer? Just curious :grins widely: ) 

Pairings: ShinnxKira, AthrunxKira, DearkaxYzak

Chapter Summary: Athrun finally got back to Earth for his love, and Shinn was surely unhappy to see him. But how about Kira? How he'll react when he saw his childhood friend who hadn't sent him any news?

Warnings: OOC-ness (hopefully slight, not sure though..:sweatdrop:), Shonen-ai (at least:grin:), bad grammar (English is not my mother language :sigh: and I got a bad memory of vocab :sighed again: ) Bad language(Coz it's needed for a Yzak's yelling session XP )

Okay, shonen-ai is boy-love-boy things, so if you don't like it, you'd better not read this fic since I don't want to be responsible of any complaint being shocked when reading this fic:smile sweetly:

A/N: This one is the longest chapter so far.. So many things to be explained :gah: I also explained Athrun's reason for not contacting the others here.

And I think I'll be using some more Japanese terms in this and some chapters later, just a bit, because I don't know how to put some of them in English and it does sound better for me if I used Japanese instead :sweatdrop:

I also decided to had a chapter summary now. Well, the main summary won't change though.

And many thanks to **Mikagami Tokiya **( The id is **fuuchoin kadzuki**)for the suggestion for this chapter XD:throw Shinn plushie at him:

Terminology:

-niichan : big brother

-san : Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.

**Reviews respond:**

Thank you for the chapter 2 reviewers: **Darkmoon Fleur**, **furin-a**, **lilplayer**, **burnt.icecream**, **Ashrey **(I didn't expect your review, aniki, so I was a rather surprised, thanks a lot XD; update your DA and AIG! -chase you all around- )

* * *

**.:Chapter 3: The Beginning of Competition:.**

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"_Do you want to tell me something?"_

"_I love him.. and I just couldn't let him go."_

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Another "WHAAAAAAAT!" could be heard from the speaker. Athrun saved his poor ears by moving away his cell phone about 20 inches from them.

"You irresponsible jerk!" Yzak cursed him. The emeralds only rolled as he continued to listen to his friend's complaint he had expected to hear "Weren't you the one who asked for these tons of works? And now you're telling that you're leaving them to ME? Quit joking and get your ass here as soon as possi… Dearka!"

By that sound, the blue head knew that the phone already changed hands. "So, how's the situation?"

"He's sick." Athrun answered bitterly. "A fever and lack of sleep. Well, that's what Shinn said to me."

"So you met him?"

"Yeah, but he didn't see me." Before Dearka could ask, the blue haired man continued, "He was sleeping."

"Oh, okay.. So, when you're going to tell him?" His friend asked again. Athrun had told Dearka most of the details why he preferred to be in PLANT. That's why he could casually discuss these things with him.

"Don't know.. I was.. not pretty sure.."

"Why not? Your rival already confessed, you know?"

"You see, Dearka, I…." Suddenly Athrun felt his tongue gone numb as he successfully process the blond's last sentence. "WHAT? He did?" Not far away, the kids winced at the man's yell. They quickly approached Murrue and Callida Yamato, telling the women that Athrun acting strange.

"Uh-huh." The tanned man casually answered him. Athrun frown darkly as he knew that the raven haired boy was a step further than him.

"How did you know it?"

"Milli said so. She said she heard it from the boy himself." Oh, yeah. The emerald eyed teen almost forgot about the female freelance he used to work with in Archangel. Two and a half years ago, everyone, including him, were pretty sure the blond and the brunette would end up together and no one would have thought they would break up. Even thought so, the two were still being friends and exchanging information.

The blue haired man was about to said something but narrowed his eyes when he heard several sounds from the other line. He was trying to hear it carefully to know what those sounds are and the blond answered his mental questions.

"Yzaaak.. be quiet." Athrun knew the tanned man left the phone for a second, then a moment of silence, and there goes Yzak's raging shouts. But it's not like his usual shout because the blue head swore he heard the platinum haired man shouts "PERVERT!" between his other random yells for the blond.

"What did you do to him?" The emerald eyed Coordinator asked his friend in confusion. Why would Yzak called Dearka pervert?

"Just a thing lovers usually do to each other." That answer stunned Athrun at where he was standing. An image of Dearka grinning madly like a Chessire cat with the platinum head yelling-with a super red face- at the background was clearly drawn in his mind.

"I never knew you two were dating." He didn't even get a single hint that his friends loved each other.

"Now you knew." The emerald eyed teen was indeed speechless now, didn't know whether he should mock them or congrats them. Meanwhile, at PLANT, the tanned man was grinning with his lover-who was doing his best to struggle free, in vain-in his arms.

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The amethyst blinked as the owner slowly awake, aware of the noise downstairs. He looked at the clock on his bedside to see that it's already dinner time. But he's not interested in having one.

His slim hands went to fetch the glass Shinn put for him but the brunette groaned in frustation as he saw it empty. He needed some water for his dry throat. Pulling out his strength, he stood up and went to the hallway, using the wall as his support. His head was dizzy, made him wonder whether his fever had gone worse.

As he tried to go downstairs slowly, he remembered when he was still at Moon. There was a time when he was sick and tried to go downstairs too, but in the end he sat down at the stairs. He was scared back then because his vision was a rather blurry even though it was not as bad as the present one. That's when Athrun, who just came to visit him, appeared at the end of the stairs, asking why he was there and saying that he should be resting. Then the brunette ended up having his best friend nursing him for the rest of the day. It was a pretty funny yet a nice memory.

"Kira? What are you doing?"

'Ah, yes. He was using that tone back then.. Eh? Wait a sec. Why I was hearing his voice?' Kira's eyes shot down at the end of the stairs. A navy blue haired teen caught his attention even though everything was pretty blur in his eyes.

"Athrun?" The brunette said in a low voice. And there the other man's voice came into his ears, telling him that he should be resting, just like old days. 'I must be imagining things.. There's no way he would be here!' The Ultimate Coordinator denied what he saw himself. But then the frame of his best friend started to move towards him, making him doubt between reality and imagination.

Kira got his mind snapped back just as he slipped. He let out a gasp as his body slowly moved forward into the air..

"KIRAAAA!"

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"Shinn-niichan, I want another nugget!" a boy pleaded at the raven head. Before he could answer, there's another kid wailed, "Shinn-niichan! Takashi took my sausage!" He groaned a bit before he got himself commanding how the children-all of them- have to behave at dinner before he got another boy or girl opened his or her mouth. The children squeaked and got silent. Mwu had to suppress a laugh when he saw that and he had to give a harder effort when the blue head across him look at the younger ex-pilot, dumbfounded.

"What do you think? He does look like a good big brother, eh?" The emerald eyed teen nodded as the blond continued, "But he sometimes more into a Mom than a big brother." And that got him a spoon right onto his grinning face from the former Impulse pilot, who flushed in either anger or embarrassment, no one knows. Ramius shrugged helplessly at the scene when she came from the kitchen with two plates of mixed vegetable in her hands.

Athrun indeed impressed. Even though Shinn did look annoyed, his tone was not as harsh as he could remember. Moreover, the ruby eyed teen didn't look troubled, he even a kind of.. enjoying it. Yes, there's a glint of happiness in his eyes.

"He's changed." The blue head muttered. The emeralds still eyeing Shinn, who finally sat down beside Mwu. Their eyes met as the rubies glared into emeralds.

"What are you looking at?"

Finally the eye contact broke as Athrun turned his attention to his foods after he replied the other teen with "Nothing." Not long then, he found himself enjoying himself with the dinner. It was a simple yet comfortable dinner with everyone surrounding the big table.

'Not everyone.' The blue head reminded himself. His best friend was still laying sick on his bed. Athrun sighed as he said he had done with his dinner. He put his dishes in the wash bin before walking out the dining room.

'I wonder how's he now.' Athrun thought as he made his way to the stairs, only to get his emerald eyes widened as he saw an amethyst eyed teen standing in the middle of the stairs with his body leaning on to the wall.

"Kira? What are you doing?" he asked. They were just staring for a moment before Athrun saw the brunette's lips were moving, but he couldn't hear what his best friend was saying. He decided to leave it be as he realized there's something more important now. "Kira, you need to go back to your bedroom and rest.." But he stopped his words as terror casted into the emeralds eyes.

"KIRAAAA!" Athrun shouted as he ran and got the falling brunette into his arms. His feet was not strong enough to hold himself, making both of them fell again. The blue head tighten his embrace to Kira, letting his body hit the wall instead of the sick boy.

The former Justice pilot shook his head in dizziness. His back and head hit the wall pretty hard, but not hard enough to knock him off. Quickly he checked the brunette who laid beside him. "Kira? Kira! Are you okay! Say something!"

The others popped their head from the dining room, but Shinn already got himself running to the older teens. When the amethysts revealed themselves, the other former pilot sighed in relief, worry disappeared from their eyes.

"A-Athrun?" The brunette said again in disbelief. The blue head is really here. The strong arms holding him in a sitting position, leaning him to his chest. Again, Athrun tighten his embrace.

"Gods, Kira. Why can't you stop worrying me?" His best friend whispered to his ears. Kira couldn't help to blush and then he quirked an eyebrow as he remember that it was Athrun who made him worried. Well, he didn't really care because the said man was in front of him, and looks okay. But then they were parted by an irritated-and jealous- raven head, who pulled Kira into his own arms.

"Kira-san, are you okay? Why did you go downstairs?" he asked with a -surprisingly for Athrun- gentle voice. The former blush on the oldest Coordinator deepen when Shinn's hand caressed his cheek. He quickly shook his head, not recognizing a glare from the blue head who was still sitting on the floor behind him

"I-I'm okay, Shinn. I just want to get a glass of water.."

The raven head sighed at the answer. "You could use the intercom to inform us to get it for you instead." The amethysts blinked. "I guess that means you forgot that we got intercom here." Kira's face got the shade of ripe cherry as the ruby eyes watched him in amusement. The brunette was just too cute to resist. If the kids were not watching, Shinn was sure he would straddle the older boy on the floor. He rolled his eyes at the thought, he also had to remind himself that Kira was sick. The raven head just recognized how pervert he was..

"Oh, well. Why don't you bring Kira back to room, Shinn?" Callida suggested, "I'll take some water and his dinner to his room later."

Happy with that, Shinn quickly nod and picked the brunette from the floor, holding him bride style. The older Coordinator automatically had his arms around the raven haired teen, surprised and dizzy at the same time. Emerald eyes still staring at them as the owner stood up and frowned deeper. Before he could say anything, Shinn already made his way to Kira's room, not forgetting to say, "Don't forget his medicine too!"

---------------------

Ruby eyes gazed at the opening door, as he saw the form who was standing there, his smiling face changed into the annoyed one. In the other hand, Kira beamed, "Athrun!" having a warm smile as the reply. The blue head put the tray, which got Kira's dinner, a jug of water and an empty glass, on the table beside the bed. The emerald eyed teen successfully ensure the Ultimate Coordinator's mother to let him be the one who brought the dinner, especially because the jug was pretty heavy when it was full.

"Callida-san said you should eat some more vegetable so you could be better soon." Athrun said as he handed the plate. But then he pulled it back and frowned a little. The brunette blinked before he got what his best friend was thinking.

"I'm okay, Athrun. I can eat by myself." The oldest Coordinator convinced as he quickly took the plate before the said teen could protest. When the blue head saw his childhood friend did so, he just shrugged and pour some water into the glass.

The raven head, who was still sitting beside Kira, gazed between the older teens repeatedly before he frowned. He was a rather annoyed because those two's ability to understand each other even though they didn't exchange any words. More than annoyed, maybe he envied Athrun. It's unfair that he love Kira but didn't have the same connection like the blue head. The thought made him pout unconsciously, which took Kira's attention, who tilted his head a little at the sight.

"Aah!" The brunette got surprised as his meatball jumped toward him, dirtying his shirt. He hastily gazed into emeralds, which gave him the look that's kind of saying 'I already told you.' but his best friend didn't do anything instead of standing and holding the glass in one of his hand as the youngest teen helped Kira cleaning his shirt a little.

"I'll go get a tray table for you." Shinn said, volunteered himself. As he stepped outside, he suddenly realized his stupid innocent act and cursed himself. "I'll just take it quickly.. That way everything should be fine." He mumbled as he walk to the stairs, hoping that Athrun won't do anything to the brunette.

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"Just when I thought you would be okay.."

"It's okay! Well.. it was. The meatball was hard to slice.." Athrun sighed at the argument and took away the brunette's dinner, putting it on the bedside table before asking him where he kept the dry clean clothes.

"You're not planning to use that shirt all night right, Kira?" The blue head asked when the former Freedom pilot just sat there with no reaction. The older teen blushed and shook his head, making the other teen sighed. "You didn't changed at all.."

"What?"

"Nothing, just where are the clothes?"

"I think they're at that oak cupboard at that corner.. if no one changed it. I haven't used this room for months." Kira answered honestly while pointing a simple cupboard at his height. After the blue head absence and handing his orphanage job to Shinn, the brunette had been staying with Cagalli since he worked as her bodyguard.

Athrun quickly take a look, finding other shirts in no time. He took the white one which is similar to the one Kira was using and walked to the brunette's side, who already took off the dirtied shirt. The blue head couldn't help a light blush, but shook his head to get dirty thoughts out of his mind.

"Kira.. this wound.." The emeralds laid on a mark at the brunette's shoulder, which he was sure that it was pretty new.. and it was a scar from a shot.

"Ah, this one? Don't worry, it doesn't hurt anymore."

"Where did you get it?" Athrun asked as his hand touch the old scar, brushing Kira's soft skin. The brunette tried not to shiver at the touch.

"Nah, Athrun, don't mind it. It's not a big deal. Really.." The emeralds flashed into the amethyst in worry, demanding an explanation. "I'm Cagalli's bodyguard after all. Although I took it as a brother's duty." That was all his explanation. The former Freedom pilot didn't want to talk about it. Athrun knew, so he shut his mouth up.

As Kira took the new shirt and putting it on, the blue head was lost in his thoughts. A wound on his shoulder, he must have ran into something dangerous again. Well.. surely it was not a big deal for his best friend. They had suffer worse injuries before. But still.. if he kept in contact with them, he would flew right beside the brunette as the news got into his ears. He got back to his senses as he heard his friend spoke.

"Athrun.. I had meant to ask you…" The ultimate Coordinator was hesitated for a moment. But the thing kept bugging his mind.

"What is it, Kira?" The blue haired teen asked gently, ensuring the other teen that it's okay to say his thoughts out loud.

"Why.. didn't you contact us at all?" Bingo, straight to the point.

"I was busy, Kira.." Athrun sat beside the brunette on the bed.

"That busy?" The former Freedom pilot asked innocently, leaning closer to the younger teen, who replied with a nod. "It's lonely without you.."

"What?" Athrun thought that his ears faked him, but then the angelic voice said again.

"I missed you Athrun.." he whispered softly and closed his eyes, relaxing himself at his bestfriend's presence. "I'm glad you come back."

"Kira.." The former Justice pilot got his heart beats harder as he heard his friend's last sentence. Moreover, the Ultimate Coordinator leaned his head on the blue head's shoulder, making the heartbeats worse. 'Could it be that.. Kira also love me?' The emerald eyed teen gulped anxiously as their hands brushed lightly, it was a coincidence actually. 'It might worth a try..' Athrun inhale a long breath before he turned his face to see the brunette and tucked his chin up so they could see face to face.

He leaned closer.. but then he froze as he saw the amethysts shone in innocence and confusion. He gritted his teeth, ashamed of himself. Kira believed in him, and all he said just now was his thoughts as his friend. And there he was about to take advantage of his one and only best friend. So, instead of crushing his lips against the brunette's, he kissed the older boy's forehead instead, making him blushed. Even though they had been used to do that when they were kids-they were unusually very close as a friend-, they never did it again since they met again at Heliopolis. Things had changed a lot.. And Athrun wanted their usual things to be back as he realized how much he missed them.

There's a loud noise of something hit the floor, making them look at the door frame, where a raven head glared at them furiously. The tray table was laying in front of him.

Kira realized the situation and quickly found his voice back. "It's not what are you thinking, Shinn! Athrun just help me changed and.." The crimson eyes twitched angrily, but the brunette continued, "..we were just being nostalgic. He used to do that back when we were kids."

'Those. Were. Even. WORSE!' Shinn growled mentally. Yes, he IS jealous. And he hate a certain blue head which got a name of Athrun Zala for being so close to Kira.

---------------------

The blue haired teen sighed in defeat as his precious angel finally calmed the raging boy. He was so much aware now that his former subordinate was seriously in love with Kira and that the brunette behave more cautious around the raven head. He knew Kira and he's sure that his childhood friend doesn't want to hurt Shinn's feeling, that's why the ultimate Coordinator was smiling gently at the youngest teen.

Athrun clenched his fist hard, holding not to burst his feelings now. Jealousy. He was also aware of that. He remembered how he almost destroy his room's wall after the first war ended when he heard about Kira and a girl named Fllay. That time he didn't know why he was so angry. He was dating Cagalli that time. And as time goes by, he realized that he was in love with his best friend.. ever since they were kids. There's so much memories of his own actions that's triggered by his love towards the brunette, but he thought it was because Kira was his best friend, someone precious.

Indeed Kira is precious to him. Not as a friend.. but someone he loved. Someone he would willingly give his life to protect. He realized it after Impulse shot down Freedom at. That time, his heart almost break as he believed that his love had died. He didn't know how happy and relieved he was when he saw that Kira was actually alive. That's when he slowly recognized his true feelings.

It had been hard for the blue haired man. He didn't know how the brunette would react if he knew. Athrun thought he would be disgusted, yet the feelings were not stoppable, which made him afraid. He was afraid to lose his bestfriend.

He look around and spot a group picture. His eyes flashed in sadness at an image of a blonde. Cagalli. He hadn't told her anything about this. They got some gap after he re-joined ZAFT and it was left unexplained. Moreover because he wasn't sure whether he could hold his feelings if he would spend lots of time with the ORB's princess' brother. So he chose to go to PLANT, burried himself in tons of work while managing his own feelings. The one who recognized this weird change is Dearka, that's when he started to discuss things with him. He was more than glad when the blond said he didn't mind about Athrun's interest.

"Finished daydreaming?" Emeralds blinked to see a pair of rubies gazed at them lazily. The blue haired teen look around to see that Kira already finished his dinner and yawned. Just how long he had been deep in his thoughts? As to answer his silent question, Shinn spoke up, "He was trying to call you, but you keep standing there doing nothing." The raven head sighed. "You're so hopeless."

The former FAITH member quirked an eyebrow at the sentence. Great, Shinn's 'sweet' mouth starting to take action. But he wouldn't let him go, not without a single chance to counter.

"Kira, I think you need to rest now. Shinn and I will take care of the dishes." Athrun said with his usual smile. Kira just nod sleepily and tugged the blanket to cover himself. The raven head frown in suspicion but said nothing. The two picked up the dishes and left the oldest teen alone in the room.

"Do you want to tell me something?" Shinn asked the older teen as they got into the empty living room. By that time, Mwu and Murrue should have gone home while the kids already went to their rooms to sleep.

"I love him.." The raven head twitched as those words escaped the older male's lips, nearly caused a crack from the plate he held in his hands as he cleched it hard. "..and I just couldn't let him go." Emeralds shot up to stare directly into the rubies. "That's why I won't give him up."

With that, Athrun left the younger former pilot. Well, he was planning to, since the said teen was blocking his way. "Neither me, Athrun." The raven head countered in a hard tone, making the blue haired teen narrowed his emerald eyes at him. Shinn only glared back, he didn't want.. no, he NEVER wanted to lose to the older teen, especially in this case. "Kira-san is really important to me, so I won't let a bastard like you have him. I love him. And I.." The ruby eyed teen stopped as the older ex-pilot raised a hand in front of his face, making him raised an eyebrow in question.

"Babling won't change anything and it's never ending if nothing change." The emeralds stared deeply in rubies. He meant every word he said, even though he actually irritated with the younger teen's infamous sharp mouth. "And everything is in Kira's hands.."

Shinn snorted. "Just play fair and square." He then walked back to the dishes he dumped a minute ago and washed it. Athrun gave him a simple smile before he made his way to his room, which Murrue showed him that evening, not forgeting to drop by his bestfriend's room to give a soft kiss on the sleeping boy's forehead.

The raven head also went to Kira's room after he finished washing the dishes and checking the doors. He took his time and sat on the side of the bed, admiring the sleeping form. The young Coordinator trace the older one's lips with his index finger. He wish he could capture the lips of the gorgeous brunette with his in no longer time. But he could only wish, since he knew that his rival might already got a special place in the Kira's heart. Their behavior were more than enough to prove it.

Shinn smiled bitterly at the thought. He had to work harder to make the brunette look at him, and only him. Shinn kissed the top of the ultimate Coordinator's head. The raven haired boy whispered "Sweet dreams.." gently in his ear before he stood up and went to his own room for some rest. His ruby eyes glanced back to the sleeping teen for the last time at that day before he closed the door silently.

Kira, who was already in a deep slumber, didn't know that he would get a surprise in the morning.. A troublesome surprise he had never even dream to have..

* * *

A/N: I personally love the "Yzaaaak.. be quiet." part. The image, the voice.. they were clearly drawn in my head XD :rofl: Well, the easy going Dearka with the stone head prideful Yzak. I just can't pair them with anyone else :laugh again, running away before Yzak start to use his Zaku to kill me:

As I promised I made a war of jealousy around them :grins: But then our innocent Kira just couldn't sense any of those :sweatdrop: Well.. at least the Kira in my story didn't. I don't know about the real one since I love him being innocent XP

I think I do need to look for more Athrun's and Shinn's charms to make Kira even more confused to choose :grins evilly, ran away when saw Freedom coming closer: Kira! Don't forget! No killing policy!

And I'm not pretty sure about Mirrialia's nick, is it Milli or Mirri :confused: Whatever.. I think I'll stick with Milli until I'm sure which one is official.

I also want to tell you that I might not update for a moment. I won't leave this fic, really! It's just that I was chased by a monster called Final Assignments. :groans: I'll try to update as soon as I can, but then, I can't promise it would be so soon..(confused? Me too :sweatdrop: Gah, I'm hopeless..) But one thing that I'm sure is I would be hiatus around.. one month maybe. Next month I already got my semester break so I should be able to continue the fic by then. I just want to inform you that and I'll try to write a long chapter too for next one to pay your patience back. And I plan another Gundam Seed fic.. 2 actually.. hopefully can finish them all.. :sweatdrop: Oh, my mind, give me mercy by stopping ideas for now. I haven't even finished this one!-cries- Just ignore that, I'm just being unreasonable :random expression:

Once again, never hesitate to review me. Any opinion are precious to be heard. Thanks!

Angelics-d


	4. Chapter 4: A First Step

**Close to Your Heart**

**By Angelics-d**

* * *

Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine… -sobsobsob- At least I own their posters… Wish I have their plushies XD; 

Pairings: ShinnxKira, AthrunxKira, DearkaxYzak

Chapter Summary: So Athrun took the challenge and Shinn's ready for it. But the innocent brunette they fight for knew nothing of this. What was he think about the two teens and their behavior as they have to live together at the orphanage for some time?

Warnings: OOC-ness (hopefully slight, not sure though..:sweatdrop:), Shonen-ai (at least:grin:), bad grammar (English is not my mother language :sigh: and I got a bad memory of vocab :sighed again: )

Okay, shonen-ai is boy-love-boy things, so if you don't like it, you'd better not read this fic :smile sweetly:

A/N: Okay, I deserve a smack from you all who wants to do it because of these reasons… First, I took the update far too long than I've expected and surely I made you all worry that maybe I'll dump this fic, but rest assure since I won't. This fic is far too interesting that it'll be such a waste if I didn't continue it. And second reason…. This one is just a short update.. -.-; I need to arrange the storyline more seriously since I don't want Athrun to get the upper hand, because that won't be fair for Shinn… and that's the hardest one.. -think maybe I'll need some research-

But I'm happy for one reason… finally I had decided the title! I also edited the previous chapters for this. I took it from an anime song XD;; It's from Monster Ranchers second opening. Well.. I really love the song and I do think it suit this story well since Shinn and Athrun will be giving their best to win Kira's heart. Who will win? Who knows? XD -ran away before got things throwed at me-

Anyway, Thanks for everyone for the reviews! And sorry I made you all worry about this story -sweatdrop-

Terminology:

-niichan : big brother

-san : Mr. / Mrs. / Ms.

* * *

**.:Chapter 4: A First Step:.**

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_He's special for him._

…_but, was it love? He didn't know._

_He didn't even understand what the meaning of love was._

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Kira yawned widely as he woke up that morning. The brunette streched his body for a moment, feeling much better after a lot of rest. But the amethyst blinked several times as they gazed to the clock on the bedside table.

'6 a.m.?' He thought, surprised to himself. It was too early. But unfortunately, whatever and however the ultimate Coordinator wished to sleep again, he just couldn't do it. Giving up, the brunette decided to go to the balcony to feel the morning breeze.

"Huh?" The amethysts glinted in surprise as they saw a form was running along the beach. "At this early in the morning.. I wonder who.." Kira leaned over and narrowed his eyes to get a better look at the person. "Shinn!" He thought he was saying that too loud because the said teen looked up to the balcony where he was.

"Kira-san!" The raven head waved to him and quickly ran under the balcony. "You're up so early." He chirped happily while the older teen still staring at him in amazement.

"It was you who's up so early!" The ruby eyed boy grinned proudly and started to climb a tree beside him. "It's 6 in the morning.. just what time did you got…What are you doing?" The amethysts looking at the younger boy intently as the said boy smartly climbed the tree and got his feet on the balcony.

"Be by your side." His grin got wider. Kira found himself blushing unconciously and it got worse as the raven head put his hands around the brunette's waist and pulled him closer. "How's your fever?" The young Coordinator asked as he touched his forehead with the older one's. After a few moment, he spoke again, "Thank goodness it went down."

The ruby eyes looking at the teen in front of him, frowned as he saw Kira was blushing madly. "The fever went down, but why you're flushing like that?" The amethyst gave him an 'it's your fault' look but the raven head was not aware enough to get the message.

The brunette sighed. He didn't really know how to act properly in front of the younger Coordinator, especially after his confession at the park. He knew Shinn was so nice and he also knew that like the raven head.. but was it love? He didn't know.

The former Freedom pilot once thought he was in love with Fllay.. but then, was it really love? He found that his feelings to the red haired girl was same as his feelings towards his other friends. Then there's Lacus.. but the two of them were not really dating. The pink haired girl just couldn't leave the brunette as she aware that there's a scar in his heart which needs to be healed, and she volunteered herself to accompany him. By the end of their confrontation with Dullindal, the songstress said that he would be okay from now on and she went to help politic things at PLANT.

Then.. his thought trailed to a certain blue head..

'Athrun..'

Feeling tired of those thinkings, Kira rested his head in the raven haired boy's shoulder, who got panicked because he thought the older teen's condition got worse.

"I'm okay, Shinn.. just.. let me be like this for a moment.." the Ultimate Coordinator reassured the other boy. Shinn blinked before he hesitantly had his hands around Kira, embracing him warmly. Even though so, the older former pilot couldn't get his bestfriend's image out of his mind.

Athrun's sudden appearance made him both relaxed and confused. He knew he was relieved that his childhood friend finally got back. But then, his feelings was something different. He knew why.. That's because Athrun's special for him. Even more precious than his other friends. But whether it's love or not, he didn't know. He didn't even understand what the meaning of love was.

'But Athrun already got Cagalli..' he reminded himself bitterly. He wouldn't want to hurt his only sister.

"Kira-san, are you sure you're alright?" The brunette almost gasped as he was back from his trance, locking the amethysts with worried rubies. "Your face is a rather pale." Shinn caressed the older teen's cheek gently. "I think you should take some more rest before the breakfast ready."

The brunette smiled at the taller boy… Huh? Wait a second. Kira pulled back a little to take a better look at the figure in front of him. "Shinn.. how tall are you?"

"Hm.. last time.. 175cm." The brunette was speechless as he widened his eyes a little. Well, actually it was not that surprising. The both of them could still grew taller, but he never expected that the other boy got taller than him.

"I didn't realized it last time we met." was all he could force his mouth to spoke. The raven head couldn't help to laugh at that.

"Well, I won't blame you. Actually I had been training all these months."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. But it's weird that I haven't got any more muscle.." Shinn piched his own arm to show the older boy, who chuckled at the process.

"Why would you do so? I think you're strong enough."

"No, I'm still weak. That's why I want to get stronger." The rubies flashed in determination, showing that he was serious with that. "Stronger and stronger.. so I can protect you." Kira opened his mouth to say something, but the younger boy's fingers stopped him as he continued. "I had to admit, you're stronger Kira-san. But I don't like to be the one to be protected. I want to be the one who protects.. I don't want to lose anyone who's precious to me again… That's why I…"

And there goes a really loud ring which made both former pilots jumped in surprise. Shinn cursed and swam his hand for his cellphone in his pocket. "Yeah, hello?" He said in annoyed tone as he connected the line, but when the other person's voice came into his ears, he raised an eyebrow and look at his watch. "Gosh, sorry-sorry, I forgot. I'll be there in a minute."

The brunette watched him with eyebrows knotted in confusion as the raven head flipped his cellphone closed. "Who's that?"

"My trainer and advicer. Guess who?" Shinn said in a playful tone as he climbed the balcony. The other boy tried to think of a name but couldn't came up with one, the he shook his head. The raven head grinned.

"Mwu-san." Then he jumped of and landed gracefully on the ground. Kira looked down to see him running off. "See you at breakfast, Kira-san!"

Kira couldn't help a smile at the younger boy's figure, who was waving enthuastically at him. He waved back and leaned on the balcony as he thought back what the ruby eyed boy said to him.

"_Stronger and stronger.. so I can protect you."_

Kira ran a hand through his own hair and chuckled, "Gosh, Shinn... I wish I can be as honest as you..."

---------------------

"Sorry, I'm late." The raven head boy gasped as he got himself in front of the blond man. Mwu quirked an eyebrow as he asked him.

"Why are you late? Usually you got here just as you finished your usual running. Did you add another lap? … Hey, wait, what's with the shiny face? Did something happen?"

Okay, that was not only asking, he bombarded him the younger boy with question as the raven head still trying to gasped for breath. Even though he was terribly tired because he ran all the way from the orphanage to his usual training place, Shinn just couldn't hide his smile. He was really happy to see Kira as the beginning of another day.

"C'mon! You're not hiding anything from me, are you?" Mwu protested since the ruby eyed boy hadn't told him a single thing. The blonde just an easily-curious type of person, that's what Shinn got in his mind as he grinned at him and said, "Guess what?"

---------------------

The blue head came into the room and smiled as he saw his childhood friend sitting on his bed and reading a book. "Morning Kira." He greeted the former Freedom pilot as he sat beside him on the bed.

"Ah, morning Athrun." The brunette closed his book and put it on the bedside table. The amethysts look into the emeralds warmly.

"Feeling better?" The blue head asked with concern as his hand touched the other boy's forehead, checking his temperature. "Good that the fever came down.." he said again with a sigh of relieved, not recognizing a blush that started to creep on his friend's face. "So, where do you want to have breakfast? Here or downstairs?"

"I think I can have it with everyone today. You know I'm not that weak, Athrun." He said it a rather playfully, making the other boy chuckled.

"At least I know that someone here loves to overdo himself." That made him got an annoyed glare from Kira, which's a kind of saying 'Who's fault was that?'. Unlike Shinn, the blue head managed to get a glimpse of his bestfriend's silent message. "Me? What had I done?"

"Nah, forget it, Athrun. Come on, breakfast, breakfast." The brunette said as he climbed off the bed, earning a questioning stare from his friend. The emerald eyed boy just shrugged as he saw that his childhood friend wouldn't give him any answer. Then he just followed him downstairs, staying alert all the time, just to make sure his friend won't fell again like the day before.

"Ara, Kira, are you okay now dear?" Callida asked him as he saw the brunette came in the dining room.

"Don't worry, Mom. I'm okay now." He answered her reassuringly. Even though he was only an adopted son of the Yamato family, the woman was the one who grew him up and neither of them ever thought of changing their bond as mother and son even after the boy knew the truth.

She smiled gladly at that, "Okay then. Are you okay with toasts dear? Or you want a soup instead? You just recover anyway." Callida asked him again as he sat down, Athrun sat beside him.

"I'll have soup. Don't wanna risk anything." His mother giggled and said she'll prepare it in a minute. The brunette didn't recognized when his bestfriend also threw him a smile before he offered a help to prepare the breakfast, which was accepted gratefully. Everything was pretty much ready when Murrue checked her watch. "I think it's about time. Athrun, you can sit down now, we can handle the rest by ourselves."

With that, Athrun got back to his seat beside his bestfriend as a raven head came into the room and threw his arms around the brunette one. "Morning, Kira-san!" It was really plain that the youngest boy was happy, too happy in the blue head's opinion as he tried to remain calm or he would break the spoon he had in his hand.

"Morning, Shinn. Now sit down, we'll have breakfast shortly. And what's with the arms?" Kira just replied him casually while the raven head still had the grin on his face.

"I'm just happy this morning." He replied back and looked at the other teen.

"You can be happy everyday, right?"

"You really mean it?" Rubies stared meaningfully at the amethysts, somehow a bit serious and got some flickers of hope.

"? Why not?" The amethysts blinked in confusion before he finally understand what the youngest former pilot was talking about. "Oh..well… It never hurts to be happy right?"

The raven head quickly beamed and sat beside the brunette while the person on the other side frowned darkly. Athrun was really lost in that talk. He couldn't find a single clue what they were talking about! And that truly irritated him. How can those two had something he didn't know when he was the one who had been with Kira longer. And it's not like him to let this off without any explainations.

* * *

A/N: Ehehe… cliffie? -smile sheepishly, ran away before anyone hit me- 

Okay, Kira was also far too innocent here, I know. I just made it like that so it became more interesting -stuck out tongue a little, ran away when hearing the sound of Freedom flying towards me-

And, just for information, in Destiny Shinn was 168cm (he sure get much taller in my fic -sweatdrop- ), Kira 170cm and Athrun 174cm. And I made Kira 172cm here and Athrun 176cm (at least they got taller..)

Anyway, as usual, any reviews will be accepted happily

Angelics-d


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